Prevalence of Linguatula serrata nymphs in slaughtered goats in Isfahan province

Linguatula serrata, a tongue worm, is an aberrant cosmopolitan parasite, which inhabits the canine respiratory system [final host]. The discharged eggs infect many plant feeder, including ruminants and human being, that produce visceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis which is known as Marrara syndrome in man. In the current study, the prevalence rate of infection with L. serrata nymphs in mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes [MLNs] of slaughtered goats was investigated by cutting in MLNs and observing them in Isfahan Province, Iran. The MLNs of 620 slaughtered goats, including 197 females and 423 males, after the preparation of the lymph nodes, were examined for L. serrate nymphs by cutting them longitudinally and testing them by using a dissecting microscope for L. serrata nymphs. Then, in the suspected cases, the samples were digested by pepsin and hydrochloric acid and were examined for presence of L. serrate nymphs. Goats were categorized into four age groups, including < 1.5 year, 1.5 to 2.5 years, 2.5 to 3.5 years, and > 3.5 years. The results showed that 54.35% of the examined goats were infected with L. serrata. Sex had no significant effect on the prevalence rate of this parasite in goats. Ahigh prevalence rate of infection in goats suggests a possible similar high rate of infection in other animals and man in the investigated area, which emphasizes undertaking strict control measures to reduce the risk of zoonotic outbreaks

[Comparison between anticoccidial effect of granulated Artemisia siberi extract and pure Artemisinin in affected broilers]

Increasing resistance against conventional anticoccidial drugs and the consequence of their residues has paid the attention toward more effective and safe compounds. Artemisia plant is a potential candidate that its anticoccidial effect has been previously discussed. This study aimed to produce a granule from the extract of Artemisia siberi and evaluate its anticcocidial effects compared to pure Atremisinin. Artemisinin was extracted from Artemisia by petroleum ether and then formulated into a wet granule. Experimental coccidiosis was induced in chicks [n=75] by oral administration of 250000 oocysts/chick. Chicks were divided into 5 groups of three replicates each [n=15] and one uninfected group [n=15]. The infected chicks were treated by oral administration [lmg/kg] of pure artemisinin and granule formulation with three different doses [1, 2.5 and 5mg/kg artemisinin] as feed additive. The treatment was conducted for 5 successive days towever. The fifth infected group and uninfected group did not receive any medication. At the end of treatment, fecal samples of each group were collected for 5 days and the OPG [oocyst per gram] was determined as anticoccidial index. The granule formulation of Artemisia and pure artemisinin significantly [p<0.001] decreased the OPG values in treated groups [30% in treated groups Vs8% in control]. However, there wasn't significant difference between granule formulation and pure artemisinin on OPG reduction [30.39% and 30.35%, respectively]. This study showed that the Artemisia siberi granulated extract can be considered as a new effective and safe anticoccidial drug

In-vitro assessment of the acaricidal properties of Artemisia annua and Zataria multiflora essential oils to control cattle ticks

The aim of this study was to investigate the 'acaricidal effect' of Zataria multiflora and Artemisia annua essential oils on Rhipicephalus [Boophilus] annulatus. This study was carried out in 2009 in the Laboratory of Parasitology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Shahrekord University, west central Iran. Six dilutions [5, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 micro L/cm[3]] of both essential oils were used against engorged female R. [Boophilus] annulatus ticks using an in vitro immersion method. The mortality rates for each treatment were recorded 6, 15 and 24 hours post inoculation [hpi]. Mortality rate was analyzed using Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance, and comparison of means was carried out using General Linear Models Procedure. The mortality rate caused by different dilutions of Z. multiflora essential oil ranged from 26.6% [using 10 micro L/cm[3]] to 100% [using 40 micro L/cm[3]] and for A. annua essential oil it was 33.2 to 100% [using 20 and 80 micro L/cm[3], respectively] by the end of the experiment [36 hpi]. No mortality was recorded for the non-treated control group or for dilutions less than 5 and 10 micro L/cm[3] using Zataria and Artemisia essential oils, respectively. For Z. multiflora mortality peaked at 15 hpi for all concentrations other than 20 micro L/cm[3] and took 24 h to achieve its maximum effect while for A. annua the two highest concentrations needed 24 hpi to reach their full effect. In addition, essential oils applied at more than 20 and 60 micro L/cm[3] caused 100% egg-laying failure in engorged female ticks by Zataria and Artemisia, respectively while no failure was observed for the non-treated control group. The mortality rate in both botanical acaricides was dose-dependent. Both these medicinal plants have high potential acaricidal effects on the engorged stage of R. [Boophilus] annulatus in vitro

[ effect of administration of anti-coccidial drugs on oocyst shedding and performance in experimental coccidiosis in broiler chickens]

Coccidiosis is one of the major parasitic diseases of poultry. In this study, to compare the effects of coccidiostatic drugs on fecal oocyst shedding and body weight gain of coccidi-infected broiler chickens, 180 one day old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four treatments. Each treatment contained 3 replicates of 15 chickens. Treatments 1 and 2 were fed diets supplemented with 200ppm Diclazuril and 500ppm Salinomycin, respectively. Treatments 3 and 4 were designated as positive and negative control, received no coccidiostate. Chickens in treatment 1, 2 and 3 were inoculated with a suspension containing four Eimeria species. Frequency of excreted oocyst obtained from feces samples during 7-13 days post -challenged was carried out. Body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality rate were evaluated weekly. The results revealed that coccidiostatic drugs decreased oocyst per gram of feces significantly in 7-13 days post inoculation [p<0.05]. The highest mean of body weight was related to negative control followed by chickens treated with Diclazuril. The lowest FCR was belonged to negative control followed by chickens treated with Diclazuril. It could be concluded that coccidiostate -supplemented diets in Eimeria infected groups shed less [P<0.05] oocyst than control-infected chickens and improved production performance in coccidian-infected broiler chicks

Preliminary study on virulence of some isolates of entomopathogenic fungi in different developmental stages of Boophilus annulatus in Iran

To evaluate the virulance of 11 isolates of native entomopathogenic fungi as biocontrol agent of Boophilus annulatus, in this study, 4 three months old calves were used for tick rearing. 7 Different developmental stages of the ticks, Boophilus annulatus were inoculated by 10 conidia/ml dilution of the fungal isolates in the presence of control groups. The mortality, egg hatchability and reproductive efficiency were determined in different treatments and control groups and the results were analized statisticaly. Metarhizium anisopliae strains DEMI001 and IRAN437C, Beauveria bassiana strain IRAN403C, and Lecanicillium psalliotae strain IRAN468C were the most virulent strains in comparison with their relative strains and caused 80 -100%, 20 - 80%, 0 - 40% and 0- 40% mortality for engorged females respectively. All 11 tested fungi reduced egg laying capability of the ticks several days before their death. The obtained data showed that the entomopathogenic fungi can affect all developmental stages of Boophilus annulatus, but their efficiency varies considerably according to the fungal species and strains. It is demonstrated for the first time the pathogenic effect of Lecanicillium psalliotae against Boophilus annulatus